Sony Ericsson unveils Xperia campaign in HK

Central to the campaign is a TVC which compares the dull experience of a man on a children's shopping mall ride to the adrenaline and excitement of riding a live rodeo bull. When the ride transforms into a live bull, spectators are left wide-eyed, communicating to viewers the appeal of 'playing to the extreme' with the Xperia Play.

The campaign is the first for Sony Ericsson by Euro RSCG Hong Kong, which also includes print ads, point-of sale, and the use of characters from the phone's preloaded games in key shopping malls as a series of Android robots. 

Sony Ericsson and Euro RSCG felt that gaming on smartphones can be monotonous, and the experience usually falls short of that offered by gaming consoles. Thus, they sought to develop a campaign for the Xperia Play that invites consumers to experience it for themselves through the tagline 'Play to the extreme and beyond'.

“Rather than using video game scenes, as might be expected in a gaming console TVC, we decided to broaden the appeal to a wider group of viewers by creating a more ‘real-life’ situation. It’s a simple story that effectively communicates in a playful way the advantage of the superior gaming experience of the Xperia Play, without being overwrought,” said Barbara Yeh, general manager, Euro RSCG Hong Kong.

“The Sony Ericsson Xperia Play is a ground-breaking product combining the best of both android smartphone and gaming worlds. Hong Kong being a pioneer market to launch this innovative product has the mission to create communications that unleash the imagination of gamers and appeal to a broad cross-section of people,” said Michelle Au, GM of Sony Ericsson Hong Kong and Macau.